New Zealand Committee on Adverse Drug Reactions: eleventh annual report 1976.

ABSTRACT

Under the voluntary reporting scheme 499 cases of adverse drug reaction or reactions were reported. Noteworthy items included immediate hypersensitivity-type reactions to anaesthetic agents, a number of life-threatening reactions to anti-inflammatory drugs, paradoxical increase in blood pressure with high-dose pindolol and rebound hypertension after cessation of clonidine. A further 904 reactions were reported during an intensive survey in general practice and 342 from the ongoing hospital monitoring studies in units at the Auckland and Hutt hospitals. Data from numerous sources are now being channelled through the Committee's administrative centre. During the 11th year of operations 499 reports were received under the spontaneous reporting scheme. Additionally 342 reactions derived from the established hospital monitoring programmes at the Auckland Hospital and School of Medicine and the Hutt Hospital were notified to the Committee, and a further 904 reactions were received as a result of the intensive monitoring survey of drug reactions in general practice carried out in October and November 1975. The significance of each of these sets of data is substantially different and they will be discussed separately.